iPhone X vs. Google Pixel 2 vs. Galaxy Note 8: Camera Comparison

As time goes on, flagships from established companies like Samsung and Apple come closer and closer to peak performance. With a luxury phone, chances are that pretty much any model will deliver some pretty impressive pictures. However, for the budding photographers among us, finding the best of the best may very well influence the final decision of a pretty major investment. With how expensive smartphones have become, its important that you get the best bang for your buck — and if a combination of quality photos and video is your main concern, you can’t do much better than the Galaxy Note 8 camera.

Galaxy Note 8 Camera

Evan Rodgers, a reporter for Engadget, discovered that a unique feature of the Galaxy Note 8 camera makes one of the best models on the market. In a side by side comparison between the Galaxy Note 8, iPhone X, Google Pixel 2, and Huawei Mate 10, the Note 8 came out ahead in one key area.

Image stabilization comes standard with the majority of high-end phones, but an important aspect that many handsets fail to take into account is the problem of vibration. Rodgers took video while riding the subway — an environment where it can be next to impossible to keep a phone completely still. Each phone does its best to stabilize the image, but it’s clear that the Galaxy Note 8 camera has the advantage, resulting in a stable video that is almost flawless despite the taxing conditions.

While the superb image stabilization isn’t necessarily something you’ll take advantage of every day, it’s a nice feature to have. Whether you’re riding the subway or you just have a case of shaky hands, the Galaxy Note 8 camera delivers a smooth recording experience and excellent pictures that are stable despite any vibration.

It’s important to note that despite the Galaxy Note 8 camera coming out on top, the difference in quality isn’t as noticeable as you might expect. In the video below, you can see that all of the phones do a respectable job. However, when the camera quality of high-end phones is pretty good across the board, it’s small perks like the Galaxy Note 8 camera image stabilization that really make a difference.

Cutthroat Competition

As mentioned above, the Galaxy Note 8 camera is excellent and we feel that it generally performs better than the iPhone X, Google Pixel 2, and Huawei Mate 10 to which it was compared. However, each camera performs admirably in its own way. The Galaxy Note 8 sold very well, and was a much-needed win for Samsung after the huge fiasco that was the Galaxy Note 7. While baseline expectations for the phone were simply hopes that it wouldn’t explode like its predecessor, the upgraded performance and sleek design have generally given customers a smartphone that they’re satisfied with.

However, with phones like Google’s new Pixel 2 and the extremely popular iPhone X competing for a cut of Samsung’s market, features like image stabilization in the Galaxy Note 8 camera may not be enough to continue to capture the attention of a fickle customer base that is always looking for the latest and greatest.

Samsung has had problems recently with releasing phones that are iterative rather than innovative. While their phones are some of the most popular on the market and the company is flush with cash, there’s always room for improvement with upcoming flagships.

Recent reports suggest that the Galaxy Note 9 will be a step up from the Note 8, but that the company is generally playing it pretty safe with their new phone. With recent patent filings for foldable screen technology, it’s clear that Samsung has some new features in the works. Whether we’ll see them on the Note 9 remains unclear, but it’s in the Korean company’s best interest to innovate sooner rather than later.

Samsung’s strategy has generally paid off pretty well, and they’ve established themselves as one of the premier Android manufacturers worldwide. We feel that the Galaxy Note 8 camera remains one of the best options on the market, but will that be enough to keep customers interested? It’s clear that the camera has an advantage in image stabilization, but that’s a minor perk when compared to new technology like Face ID from the likes of Apple.

At the end of the day, the Galaxy Note 8 camera offers some key advantages that make it one of the best choices out there for phone photography and video. Cameras are a key part of the decision-making process for many smartphone buyers, but is this useful perk useful enough to warrant the upgrade? There’s no doubt that the utility and appeal of the Galaxy Note 8 extend far beyond its camera, but the superior image stabilization is something to take into account when your decision is still up in the air.

Author: Zachary RileyZachary Riley has been writing for several years across a wide variety of platforms, with most of his work focusing on topics related to technology and science. Before starting work with ValueWalk, he worked primarily for websites informing and connecting customers with appropriate internet and television plans. Zachary is currently finishing his Bachelor’s Degree in English at the University of Massachusetts - Lowell.